The Cambodian Genocide began with the rise of the Khmer Rouge, the Communist Party of Kampuchea, when they took control of Cambodia from the French. The Khmer Rouge ruled the country from 1975 to January 1979. The party's existence was kept secret until 1977, and no one outside Khmer Rouge territory knew who the leaders were. While in power, the Khmer Rouge implemented policies that took away human rights and carried out large-scale massacres. The country became a detention center and then a cemetery for nearly two million people, including some of their own members. BackgroundThe Cambodian communist movement began with the country's struggle against French colonization in the 1940s. Over the next 20 years, the movement began to grow. After Marshal Lon Nol's successful takeover, the Khmer Rouge began to retaliate against the Cambodians. Their army was led by Pol Pot, party secretary and leader of the CPK in 1963. Pol Pot, originally Solath Sar, lived in France for a time and became a member of the French Communist Party. When he returned to Cambo...